Top Chef 8/15

[Dids]

"Guess Colicchio got tired of being hammered for his inconsistencies and obvious favoritisms in the comments."

I have no idea what you're talking about. Tom's always seemed more than fair. As for why he stopped blogging, I imagine a guy who runs like 5 different joints all over the country may be busy.

PJ,

I'd strongly disagree that HK is a better show. 1- it's just so different, the quality of the chefs is A LOT less, and mostly it's just a focus on Gordon's personality (a much better show for him is the Kitchen Nightmares show on BBC America). I found it pretty unwatchable the times I tried last season.

Frankly, I think top chef is a really well done show for what they're trying to do. I may be helped because I could never bring myself to watch Project Runway.

[Hoya]

I was fine with them not eliminating anyone; sending home Brian or Dale for bad service on a cooking show would have been pretty lame.

I also can't stand HK - it is so over the top, forced, and often staged that it is unwatchable.

[slamdunkpro]

[ QUOTE ]
"Guess Colicchio got tired of being hammered for his inconsistencies and obvious favoritisms in the comments."

I have no idea what you're talking about. Tom's always seemed more than fair. As for why he stopped blogging, I imagine a guy who runs like 5 different joints all over the country may be busy.


[/ QUOTE ]

Colicchio is all over the map – “it’s all about the food” “Being a chef is more than just food” “All that matters is this week’s challenge” “We decided to keep you based on your performance to date” – These are just off the top of my head. He also clearly plays favorites and picks a bi*ch” each season. Collichio was getting some real heat and negative comments on the blog comments over on Bravo’s site. It was funny after he really got slammed he stopped blogging and they brought in Bourdain.

That aside – there is a rumor in the industry Bravo wants to dump Colicchio and that they are offering Bourdain some really big bucks.

[Aloysius]

This episode was pretty bad. Poorly executed from top-to-bottom. They featured a ridiculous product placement (Red Robin something, I don't even know what that is or what's on their menu, gg), really got away from focusing on the food (e.g. did we even see Hung prep / cook his dish?, also almost eliminating someone based on being smelly / crappy restaurant host), and as Dids noted super gay blogger twist (why do we care what this random bitch has to say?).

The lack of drama in the "to be continued" nature of the contest underscores 1) how incredibly weak the new Restaurant Wars format is; 2) bad editing.

Some random thoughts:

Howie - actually I put cream in risotto sometimes when I make it, but it's really, really rich as a result. If I know this, he knows that your standard palate is going to notice that. Garage's menu had no balance, this was my first thought when it got announced.

Sara - she's starting to push into annoying / unlikeable territory for me. Maybe it's her accent.

Burger Challenge - great challenge, but without clear parameters just seemed super random. Did I miss something, why the hell were they all putting seafood in their burger?

Hell's Kitchen v. Top Chef - this was the first season I watched HK... it's a bit vulgar for my tastes. The problem with the show, imo, is that 1) all the contestants this season were unlikeable for the most part, didn't really care to root for any of these people; 2) the contestants are just not very good chefs - alot of the show is watching Gordon Ramsay scream at inexperienced chefs inevitable f-ups.

[ QUOTE ]
That aside – there is a rumor in the industry Bravo wants to dump Colicchio and that they are offering Bourdain some really big bucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's interesting but I like Collichio - actually think he's usually pretty even-handed and fair with his comments.

-Al

[Dids]

Red Robin is a Northwest burger chain.

The original one is located about 4 blocks south of my office and we're there about every other week. When he was in college my Dade used to hitchhike over to Seattle and party there. Their old sign is a clearly stoned bird that now hides inside the restaurant. For a burger chain, they're pretty decent. Their stuff is much less upscale than anything the cheftestants made last night.

"Did I miss something, why the hell were they all putting seafood in their burger?"

This bothered me just from a lack of imagination. Somebody says "Flip the script on a burger" and instead of drying to do something different with beef, they all go to the same "new and cool, but since everybody is doing it maybe not so much" place and throw in fish. (I wonder if part of this is being in Miami and having a shitton of great fish on hand). Maybe it's just my approach, but if I was going to make an upscale burger, it's still going to be ground beef.

I still think sdp is out to lunch on Tom.

1- remember, we're seeing like 2 hours of debate ground down to 5 minutes. This debate is taking place at like 3AM after a long day. I think people being slightly inconsistant, repetative or whatever is a bad idea.

2- I love Tony, but I think Tom is a MUCH better fit in this context. Tony is best in small doses. Full time he's just wittier Gordon Ramsey and that's not terribly fun to watch.

[The Ocho]

this season of top chef is kinda meh but i do like it better than hells kitchen.

i really hate how on hells kitchen they constantly push the idea that a leader has to be a yelling, swearing [censored]. for example, when it got down to 3 contestants this season, ramsay took aside each contestant and had them practice spazzing out on a sous chef. it was good tv i guess but wtf, you dont have to be bill parcells in order to be a leader.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
this season of top chef is kinda meh but i do like it better than hells kitchen.

i really hate how on hells kitchen they constantly push the idea that a leader has to be a yelling, swearing [censored]. for example, when it got down to 3 contestants this season, ramsay took aside each contestant and had them practice spazzing out on a sous chef. it was good tv i guess but wtf, you dont have to be bill parcells in order to be a leader.

[/ QUOTE ]

I watched HK once. That was enough. I wouldn't work for someone who acted like a 4 year old and I'm sure not going to watch someone else work for someone like that on a routine basis.

It's kind of sad that, in a way, they're promoting that sort of behaviour.

Wonder where Gail's been?

b

[Dids]

Gail and Ted are switching off this season. From her blog sounds like she often has to do magazine stuff.

[Aloysius]

Dids - gotcha, thanks... also I'm with you if I'm doing an awesome blow your mind burger, I'm going ground beef, throw in maybe some veal or pork, I mean seafood... it's a damn burger!

Based on the promos, seems like next week will involve either Hung or Tre possibly being eliminated (e.g. Collichio pointing out "this would be a surprise elimination, but remember it's just about tonight's performance, nothing else").

Tre hasn't been awesome but I like how consistent and in general, controlled he is. Also seems like a cool guy. Hung's been disappointing and he is lamely deferential in team settings.

-Al

[Blarg]

No guy should be thrown out of a chef competition for being a poor waiter.

It's a screwed competition because half of each team can be eliminated without even cooking anything. Really, really terrible challenge.